David Button had an outing in Albion's under-23s as they lost 1-0 to Leicester at the Lancing training complex tonight.

The keeper, signed from Fulham in the summer, has lost his place on the first team bench to Jason Steele as cover for Mathew Ryan since an injury sustained in training.

Button, who was rarely tested, and Steele will be competing for the gloves next month when Ryan goes to Abu Dhabi with Australia for the Asia Cup.

The prolific Aaron Connolly was denied in a bright opening by Leicester keeper Tobias Viktor Johnasson from a clever pass by Viktor Gyokeres.

Johnasson was called into action again soon after, scrambling across his line to prevent an own goal by Calun Ughelumba when the left-back diverted a cross towards his own net.

Ughelumba was seen to better effect for the visitors with a cross which Tyrese Shade volleyed just wide.

Button had to save low down from Shade's angled drive moments later as Albion's early supremacy was extinguished.

They fell behind in the 34th minute, Yohane Benaloune meeting a corner with a header nodded in at the far post by centre-half partner Josh Knight.

Gyokeres spurned an opportunity to respond instantly, side-footing just over the bar when well-placed. Geroge Cox also almost equalised before the interval with an angled drive which forced Johansson into a fine stop.

A Max Sanders free-kick from the edge of the box was pushed away by Johansson after the break.

Sub Stefan Ljubicic headed straight at the keeper in the closing stages and Leo Ostigard was foiled by the impressive Johansson in stoppage time as Albion missed the chance to rise to third in the table.

Albion (4-4-1-1) Button; A.Davies, Barclay, Ostigard, Cox; Dreyer (Ljubicic 80), Sanders, Normann, Tilley (Gwargis 69); Gyokeres, Connolly.

Subs: Keto, O'Hora, Cochrane.

Leicester (4-3-3): Johansson; Johnson, Knight, Benalouane, Ughelumba; Leshabela (John 70), Sherif, Dewsbury-Hall; Shade, Reghba (Muskwe 46), Wright.

Subs: Davies, Edwards, Tee.